REDEMPTION BY WINNING: More than a year ago, Lovey Smith was taken to task for comparing Martha Stewart and Eagles QB Michael Vick. But these days, they look more alike than you’d have imagined. Who doesn’t love a tainted hero who performs just when the future looks in doubt? Stewart’s genius has been to make herself into a brand — it’s no longer all about her, but about the appeal and resiliency of her image (who, in a recession, doesn’t appreciate someone who’s been through a rough patch?). Vick’s sizzling play last weekend offers the Eagles the sort of comeback energy they have notoriously lacked. (Especially since Vick’s off-field self has come full circle.)

Speaking of re-make narratives, Marion Jones has finished her rookie season in the WNBA with a splash and Liz Lambert – the hair pulling player from New Mexico — has quietly served her suspension and started her senior season. Cheating and poor sportsmanship are inexcusable. But if Michael Vick can look like Martha Stewart, here’s hoping both of these athletes do something worthy with their second chances.

TWO CENTS: A new GAO report shows female full-time managers earned 81 cents on the dollar to men in 2007 — up from 79 cents in 2000, according to the NY Times (women remain underrepresented in leadership, however, making up 40 percent of managers in the U.S. workforce.) The earnings gap for top athletes, however, remains huge at the top: Maria Sharapova is the high female sport earner in 2009-2010 at $24.5 million while Tiger Woods earned $105 million. For top women, see here.

NOTABLE ABSENCE: The new EA Sports FIFA game is out and — like just about every video game available, doesn’t feature women’s teams (female players have been featured in Grand Slam tennis and in the 2007 STREETCOURT NBA game). This is puzzling considering that according to the Entertainment Software Association, 40 percent of video game players are female and companies everyday build new markets that previously didn’t exist (think women’s NFL jerseys). After all, if you can make plastic Leggos a compelling vehicle for video competition, surely some of our top female athletes should find a place on the small screen…